I’m actually getting back to prompts. I know it’s been a while since I’ve done these. I’m trying to get back to them. I know I’ve said that before, but…meh. Life happens. Deal with it.

Anyway, if you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know that I published my first book recently (and it’s called Days of the Kill, and it’s on Amazon. You should go buy it ;)). In honor of that, here is today’s prompt:

What is your proudest accomplishment as a writer? Is it publishing your first book? Is it reaching your first milestone? Is it just actually getting an idea? What is it that makes you so proud to be in this writing career?

I realize it’s Wednesday, and you’re expecting a lesson. That’s not going to happen today. Instead, I have some very exciting news to share: As of yesterday, I am now a published author.

Days of the Kill is my first book. It was nearly two years in the making. I’ve complained on here about it. I’ve rejoiced on here about it. Now, the book is available to you, my friends and readers.

In this tale of murder and mystery, a small town girl moves to Oregon to start a new life away from her dysfunctional family. However, after she takes a teaching job she realizes to her horror she had not really escaped the dysfunctional members of her family. As the body count rises she has to face the fact that she is dysfunctional, too. Are any of us really who we appear to be?

I apologize for not posting at all last week. I was sick on Monday, I didn’t have a chance on Wednesday, and Friday was just filled with…everything else.

It’s Monday, and I’m feeling much better than I was last week, so it’s time to look at what the trouble with writing is once again.

This week, we’re back to talking about money. I know, I’m pretty much beating a dead horse with this subject, but hey, just work with me here.

I recently reached my halfway goal for the editor I’ve been saving up for (yay!). But I’m pretty sure it sunk down to less than halfway once again. With necessary purchases (like my payment for school that was due a couple weeks ago), and purchases of things that I just wanted (those darn ebooks are just too tempting.)

Sometimes, we tend to get out of control with our purchases, and don’t think about it. I’m not saying don’t pay the bills — you need to do that if you want to have comfort in your home. But try to limit buying the things you want. I struggle with that, too.

It can be hard to limit yourself on things you want, especially if you’re a shopaholic, of any sort. As for me, I spent a lot of money on buying clothes for my nieces and nephew not too long ago…whoops!

So are you spending too much money to save up, or are you spending it wisely? I’m going to try and save up more than I have been. I do want to be published one of these days!

Apologies for not getting a post up on Friday. Things were a bit…chaotic with my niece coming over for the weekend and all.

Over the past year, I’ve gotten comments and emails saying that I’ve helped people, and I really appreciate you guys telling me that. But for now, instead of my usual Monday post, I need your help.

As you may know, I’ve been saving up money for an editor. Well, I seem to be going backward, not forward.

On Friday, I set up a GoFundMe account to try and get donations. I haven’t gotten any yet, unfortunately, even though I’ve shared it with family and friends. Someone gave me the idea to come to my readers for help.

If you could help out at all, I would be forever grateful. I’m giving away a free signed copy to anyone who donates!

So, if you can donate, please do. Becoming a published author is a lifelong dream of mine, but to get there I need money to get my book worked on some more.

It’s Monday (though the middle of the night where I am…who cares?), so it’s time to look at what the trouble with writing is once again. This week, we’re looking at money…in a way.

The spin on money is a little different this week. I can tell you right now that I still haven’t even reached halfway to my goal amount. I will hit halfway next week. Yay!

Anyway, the trouble I’m looking at this week is the fact that we never look at the positive side of all that money we spend, or how we know when we’re on the downhill run. I know, I’m guilty of it, too.

I was looking at all I had to do still. I’ll probably get someone on CreateSpace to do my formatting for me, so that’s what, a hundred bucks? Not too bad, considering all the money we put into editing. There’s also the cover artist still, which comes before the formatting. I found someone that could do a cover for both the ebook and the paper book, all for $125!

So, basically, I’ll be on the downhill run once I get this editing over and done with. I’m excited about it. But while I was thinking about that, I realized that I’ve been so focused on raising money for an editor, and needing to just raise money, and I have all these other expenses as well, that I haven’t even thought about how close I am to being published. Yes, I still have a couple other things after the editor, but I’ll be on the downhill run.

I think that’s a problem with a lot of writers. We’re so focused on one thing, that we forget about the others. We don’t look at the positive side of things. I know I can’t be the only pessimistic writer in the world.

I guess that about does it for today. Be ready for Wednesday’s lesson. I may just continue on this subject!

Another Wednesday, another lesson. This week, we’re looking at being realistic.

It’s actually not about money this week? The world must be ending…

No, it’s not about money. It’s about being realistic with your goals.

I used to think that I would be publishing by the beginning of July. Well, that’s not going to happen. I won’t be done saving up for an editor by then. Oh, well. That’s why I made the more realistic goal of by the end of 2015.

It’s okay to change your goals if you don’t think you’re going to reach them. Believe me, it’s okay. I know, you get set on one date. I was like that for a while. I was so set on hitting publish in the beginning of July. I had to change it. I wasn’t happy about that at first, but I’m so glad I decided to change it. As it turns out, my manuscript still needs a lot of work.

Don’t worry about the date so much. That’s one of the worst mistakes you can make. I realize it’s hard to not focus on the day that you’re publishing, but I also happen to know that you don’t want to just rush through it. I may not be published yet, but I know enough to know that rushing through can cause you to make many mistakes.

So, don’t get too set on a date to change it. Sometimes, you have to change it and there’s nothing you can do about it.